Haiti: Day 21. On Origami

I haven't really written about teaching yet because I'm still trying to figure it out. I really can't make sense of, and get this, why some of the kids hate me. So. Passionately.

I know, right?

And you're thinking, “Caitlin, you are so lovable, why do some of the children hate you so much?!” First, thank you. It's so sweet of you to think that. Secondly, Well, where do I begin to answer your question...

I started becoming aware of the fact that I wasn't winning Teacher of the Year Award on Monday of week two when a few of the girls asked me why I hadn't left yet. Ouch. I asked them if they wanted me to leave and they just kind of looked at me and then at each other. As it would turn out, they don't expect most people to stay more than a week because that's what they're used to. Volunteers come in, play with the kids, sing songs, clap their hands, and then leave. I don't sing songs, nor do I clap my hands but I do attempt to teach them patterns in numbers on the 100's chart which, as it turns out, is a little (read: a lot) less fun.

Yesterday during during Fun with Numbers with Fun Ms. Caitlin, four of my five girls put their heads down and gave up. See, the purpose of us studying the numbers chart is to identify patterns. If they can identify that 10-5 is 5, 60-55 is 5, 90-85 is 5 on the 100's chart, they can (hopefully) begin to see that math is just a series of patterns that, once identified, make understanding the more difficult concepts so much more accessible. This is also a part of Gifted Education. I wanted the students to start recognizing patterns because it starts to build their critical thinking skills. Critical thinking is not taught in Haitian school. They are taught to memorize facts but not the concepts behind the facts. Such a big part of me is so frustrated with the concept of Gifted Education. Why aren't all students taught to recognize patterns, see things from multiple perspectives, or identify how things change across time? Wait. Tangent. Back to Haiti. Since they were never taught to think critically, when I come in and explain that 3 x 7 is just three groups of seven beads/marbles/bears/dots on your paper, eyes start to cross. And then they uncross. And then they glare.

OK, so I started this blog on Monday. Now it's Friday, and this is what has happened since then:

On Tuesday Love-Mitha told me that I'm so mean and Cherline told me that when I go running I'm going to trip and fall.

And then the wind changed.

On Wednesday Love-Mitha made me a flower hair clip with cheetah print feathers coming out of it. Guess what I'm wearing in my hair on the first day of school... and everyday up until then... and then until it breaks.

Friday Dienuithe gave me a note that said that she loves me so much and wants to be my “BFF.” I didn't tell her that the spot has already been filled (What up, Mom,).

So why the change in attitude? I don't really know. It's nice being hated less though; that's for darn tootin'. Even though they tried to make it really hard for me sometimes, I didn't stop loving them. Whoa, wait, that's a total lie. I didn't make it known to them that I didn't like them. Yeah, that sounds more accurate. When kids try to make it hard for you to love them, that's when they need it most. That whole seeing them as God sees them thing really paid off this week. People just need to feel cared for and loved.

And it's not just the girls, it's the boys, too. Ever since I started bribing them to stay focused by promising a class during recess on paper airplanes and origami they have been so much better. For the record, my paper airplanes suck and my origami animals always seem to be missing features, but I think the kids just really like that extra positive attention. This translates into 45 minutes of very focused class time and 5 minutes of Diene, Clairmond, and Daniel debating over whether they should make the “stealth bomber” or the origami cheetah that may or may not be missing its hind legs and would put PETA's panties in a twist.

I spent the morning (it's Saturday) making origami and paper planes with the boys. Since the boys' education is really spotty their fine motor skills are lacking, so I had to do all the folds for each of the little boys and then tell them that they did a great job folding. 2 planes, 2 cranes, 3 flowers, 3 frogs, 5 boats, and 1 pig later, my fingers are rubbed a little raw, but it's all in a day's work.